Bale grinder

ABSTRACT

A machine for grinding forage material includes a support frame that supports an enclosure for retaining a bale of forage material. A rotary shredder is positioned within the enclosure where the rotary shredder grinds the bale of forage material and discharges a forage material from the enclosure. The machine includes at least two deflectors attached to the enclosure that deflect the shredded forage material onto a surface where the at least two deflectors are positionable independent from each other.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application is a divisional of and claims priority of U.S.patent application Ser. No. 11/300,792, filed Dec. 15, 2005, the contentof which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a farm implement. More particularly,the present invention relates to a farm implement for grinding a bale offorage material.

Livestock producers utilize large round or rectangular cross-sectionalbales that range in weight between about 500 and 2,200 pounds to provideforage material and bedding material for livestock. The weight and sizeof the bales makes moving and positioning of the bales with manual forceimpractical. Further, the large round and square cross-sectional balesare densely compacted which makes disbursement of the forage materialwith manual force difficult, if not impossible.

A bale grinder is used to mechanically lift the bale into an enclosurehaving a rotary grinder positioned at a bottom of an enclosure. Therotary grinder shreds and discharges the forage material onto the groundfor the livestock, such as cattle, to consume. The bale grindertypically has a deflector which directs the discharged forage materialonto a selected area of the ground.

The bales, when dropped into the enclosure, have a tendency over time ofdamaging the enclosure walls, a conveyor or other mechanism used to urgethe bale into the rotary grinder, and the rotary grinder because of thebale's weight. The damaged components require replacement for the balegrinder to function properly which causes the livestock producer toincur expenses in maintaining the bale grinder.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention includes a machine for grinding bales of foragematerial. The machine includes a support frame upon which an enclosureis supported. The enclosure is of sufficient size to retain a baletherein. A rotary shredder is positioned within the enclosure whereinthe rotary shredder grinds the bales of forage material and dischargesthe forage material from the enclosure through an opening in a sidewall.At least two deflectors are attached to the enclosure wherein the atleast two deflectors deflect the shredded forage material onto theground and where the at least two deflectors are positionableindependent from each other.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the bale grinder of the presentinvention being towed by tractor.

FIG. 2 is a top view of the bale grinder of the present invention havingan engaging end proximate a bale.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the bale grinder of the present inventionhaving the engaging end engaging the bale.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the bale grinder of the present inventionwherein the engaging end is lifting the bale to an intermediateposition.

FIG. 5 is a side view of the bale grinder of the present inventionwherein the engaging end positions the bale within the enclosure.

FIG. 6 is a back view of the bale grinder of the present inventionwherein a bale engaging end is positioned into a position wherein thebale is positioned within the enclosure.

FIG. 7 is a partial side view of the enclosure showing two deflectorsindependently positioned at different positions to direct the dischargedforage material from the enclosure.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of the enclosure illustrating a bale beingurged into the rotary grinder and illustrating the positions of themovable deflectors.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A bale grinder of the present invention is generally illustrated in FIG.1 at 10. The bale grinder 10 includes a frame 12 that supports anenclosure 14 having a sufficient size for accepting a bale of foragematerial. The frame 12 also supports a bale engaging end 16 thatengages, lifts and rotates a bale of forage material substantially 180°from the ground to another surface within the enclosure 14. The frame 12is supported by an axle 15 having wheels 18 positioned on opposite endsof the axle 16 where the wheels 18 rotate to move the bale grinder 10when towed by a tractor 20 or other prime mover.

Referring to FIGS. 1-3 and 8, a power take off drive 86 is attached tothe tractor 20 and is used for powering a flail type cylinder 82. Aconveyor 84, which urges a bale 38 of forage material into the flailtype cylinder 82 is powered by a variable speed hydraulic motor (notshown). The flail type cylinder 82 discharges the forage material 38through an opening 22 in a right side wall 24 of the enclosure 12. Whilea flail type cylinder 82 is illustrated, any rotary grinder capable ofgrinding and discharging the forage material 38 is within the scope ofthe present invention.

As the forage material 38 is discharged from the opening 22, the foragematerial 38 contacts a front deflector 26 and a rear deflector 28. Thefront and rear deflectors 26, 28 direct the forage material 38 onto theground or other surface.

Referring to FIGS. 1-3 and 7, the front deflector 26 and the reardeflector 28 are independently positionable into either a loweredposition where the forage material 38 is directed onto the groundproximate the bale grinder 10 or an elevated position where the foragematerial 38 is deflected into an area further away from the bale grinder10. The deflectors 26, 28 are independently positionable from each otherand allow the forage material 38 to be discharged onto a larger area ofground. Spreading the forage material 38 onto a larger area allows alarger number of livestock to consume the forage material 38 at the sametime and also to minimize competition for the forage material 38.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the front and rear deflectors 26, 28 areeach attached to a shaft 30 with rigid braces 27, 29, respectively. Therigid braces 27, 29 are fixedly attached to both the front and reardeflectors 26, 28 respectively, and the shaft 20.

The shaft 30 runs a length of the right side wall 24. A hydrauliccylinder 31 is coupled to a collar 34 that is attached to an end of theshaft 30 with a pivot pin 32. As the cylinder 31 is extended, the shaft30 rotates and moves the rear deflector 28 into a downward position.Further rotation of the shaft 30 positions the front deflector 26 into adownward position.

As the cylinder 31 is retracted, the front deflector 26 is positionedinto an elevated position. Further retraction of the cylinder 31 causesrotation of the shaft 30 and raises the rear deflector 28 into anelevated position.

The hydraulic cylinder 31 coupled to the shaft 30 provides a two-stagehydraulically powered actuating mechanism which independently positionsthe front deflector 26 and the rear deflector 28 to customize thedischarge profile of the forage material 38 from the bale grinder 10 asbest illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8. However, other actuating mechanismsare within the scope of the present invention including separateactuators attached to the enclosure and each deflector 26, 28.

The engaging end of the bale grinder 10 is capable of engaging a bale 38that is positioned between adjacent bales 37 and 39. The engaging end ofthe bale grinder 10 includes left and right engaging arms 54, 56 thatare capable of moving horizontally to a position approximately 180° fromeach other. The engaging end 16 also includes left and right tines 52and 53 that extend forwardly or toward the bale 37. With the tines 52and 53 extending toward the bale 37 and along with the left and rightengaging arms being disposed 180° from each other, the bale grinder 10can approach a row of bales and pull the bale out of the row withoutdisturbing adjacent bales such as 37 and 39.

To accomplish this purpose, the engaging end 16 includes left and rightmain braces 40, 42 that are pivotally attached to the frame 12. The baleengaging wall 44 is attached to distal ends of main braces 40, 42. Thebale engaging wall includes left and right supports 46, 48 that areattached to the main braces 40, 42. Top and bottom bars 50, 51 areattached to the left and right supports 46, 48, respectfully such thatas the bale grinder is moved toward the bale 38, the bale engaging wall44 abuts against the bale 38.

The tines 52 and 53 are attached to the bottom bar 51 extending in adirection away from the bale engaging wall 44. The tines 52 and 53 arespaced apart such that the tines 52 and 53 engage the bale 38 near or atits bottom so that when the engaging end 16 is lifted, the tines 52 and53 by engaging the bottom of the bale 38, lift the bale 38 off theground so that the bale can be removed from the row of bales by movingthe bale grinder away from the wall.

After the bale 38 is removed from the row of bales, the left and rightengaging arms 54, 56, are pivoted about pivot pins 58, 60 by left andright hydraulic cylinders 62, 64, all respectively. The left and righthydraulic cylinders 62, 64, are pivotally attached to the left and rightsupports 46, 48, and to the left and right engaging arms 54, 56respectively.

The left and right engaging arms 54, 56, have pivotally attached baleengaging plates 66, 68. The bale engaging plates include spike 70 thatextend outwardly from the bale engaging plate 66, 68 and aresufficiently long and rigid to penetrate a bale of hay.

As the left and right cylinders 62, 64 are extended, the left and rightengaging arms 54, 56 pivot towards the bale 38 such that the baleengaging plates 66, 68 move toward the bale 38. As the bale engagingplates 66, 68 move toward the bale 38, spikes 70 penetrate the bale 38and secure the bale 38 to the engaging end 16.

The bale grinder 10 of the present invention is capable of picking up abale such as bale 38 and placing the bale 38 with the bale grindingenclosure 14 in the manner that does not drop the bale of hay within theenclosure thereby avoiding damage to the enclosure. Repeated dropping oflarge bales of hay, no matter how sturdy the enclosure is built, canover time damage the bale grinder 10.

The enclosure 14 includes the right side wall 24, a left side wall 74having generally the same size as the right side wall 24 and a frontside wall 76 having an upper edge that is generally even with upperedges of the left and right side walls 24, 74, respectively asillustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4. A back side wall 78 is attached to theleft and right side walls 24, 74 and has an upper edge that is lowerthan the upper edges of the right side wall 24, the left side 74, andthe front wall 76 such that the bale 38 is more easily positioned withinthe enclosures 14 with the engaging end 16. The enclosure 14 includes anopen interior space 80 which is of a size, shape and volume to accepteither a large substantially square cross-sectional bale or a largesubstantially round cross-sectional bale.

A conveyor 84, which is driven by the variable speed hydraulic motor(not shown), urges the bale 38 into the flail grinder 82, which ispowered by the tractor 20 through the power take off drive 86, asillustrated in FIG. 8. The flail grinder 82 grinds and discharges theforage material 38 through a passage 79 between the bottom surface 81and the bottom of the conveyor 84 and through the opening 22 in theright side wall 24.

The bale 38 is lifted by engagement through the left and right engagingarms 54, 56 and the tines 52, 53 to an intermediate position beyond avertical plane by left and right main cylinders 88, 90, as illustratedin FIGS. 4 through 6. The left and right cylinders are pivotallyattached to the frame 12 and are also pivotally attached to a top end ofa right angled brace 100.

The right angled brace 100 includes parallel and substantially identicalside members 102, 104. Ends of the side members 102, 104 are attached tocross braces 92, 95 that are secured between the main braces 40 and 42.As the cylinders 88 and 90 are extended, the engaging end 16 pivotsupward in the general direction of arrow 72 to lift the bale 38 beyondthe vertical plane. The bale 38 is retained to the engaging end 16 whilein the elevated intermediate position by the retaining arms 50, 52having the bale engaging plates 66, 68 with the spikes 70 embeddedwithin the bale 38 and tines 52 and 53.

A second drive cylinder 94 is pivotally attached to a beam 91 securedbetween the side members 102, 104 proximate the right angles asillustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6. Another end of the second drive cylinder94 is pivotally attached to the bottom bar 50 of the bale engaging wall44. As the second drive cylinder is extended, the bale 38 is positionedonto the conveyor 84.

The independent operation of the hydraulic cylinders 88, 90 and thecylinder 94 allow the bale 38 to be rotated essentially 180° from asubstantially horizontal position on the ground to a substantiallyhorizontal position on the conveyor 84. Because the bales 38 of foragematerial weigh between about 500 pounds and 2,200 pounds, depending uponthe type of forage material and moisture content, gently positioning thebale 38 onto the conveyor 84 prevents damage to the side walls 24, 74,76, and 78, the conveyor 84 and the cylindrical flail grinder 82.

When a bale 38 having the weight of a large bale is dropped into theenclosure 14, there is a tendency for the side walls 24, 74, 76, 78 tobend and weaken and the conveyor 84 and the flail grinder 82 to becomedamaged. The two step lifting process of the present invention preventsthe bale grinder 10 from being damaged by a large bale 38 being droppedwithin the enclosure 14 because the two step lifting process positionsthe bale 38 without dropping the bale on the conveyor 84. Positioningthe bale 38 on the conveyor 84 minimizes the impact of the bale 38 onall components of the bale grinder 10.

With the bale 38 positioned within the enclosure 14, the hydrauliccylinders 62, 64 are retracted to disengage the spikes 70 68 from thebale 38. With the spikes 70 disengaged from the bale 38, the cylinder 94is first retracted followed by retraction of the cylinders 88 and 90such that the bale engaging end 16 is positioned once again near theground.

With the engaging end 16 near the ground, the tractor 20 can be used toback the bale grinder 10 towards another bale 38 such that the engagingend 16 engages the next bale 38. The engaging arms 54 and 56 arere-positioned such that the spikes 70 extending from the engage plates66, 68 are embedded within the bale 38. With the second bale 38 securedto the engaging end 16 by the outward extending tines 52 and theengaging arms 54 and 56, the second bale 38 can be lifted above groundlevel by the main hydraulic cylinders 88, 90 such that the bale grinder10 can be used to grind a bale 38 positioned within the enclosure 14while transporting a second bale 38 with the bale engaging end 16thereby allowing two bales to be ground into forage material during thesame trip.

Although the present invention has been described with reference topreferred embodiments, workers skilled in the art will recognize thatchanges may be made in form and detail without departing from the spiritand scope of the invention.

1. A machine for grinding bales of forage material comprising: a supportframe; an enclosure supported by the support frame wherein the enclosureretains the bale therein; a rotary shredder positioned within theenclosure wherein the rotary shredder grinds the bales of foragematerials and discharges the forage material from the enclosure; atleast two deflectors attached to the enclosure that deflect the shreddedforage material onto a surface; and a positioning mechanism for operablyengaging the at least two deflectors and wherein the positioningmechanism moves such that each deflector is independently positionableinto a selected position.
 2. The machine of claim 1 and wherein thepositioning mechanism comprises a hydraulic cylinder.
 3. The machine ofclaim 1 and further comprising a conveyor positioned within theenclosure wherein the conveyor urges the bale into the rotary shredder.4. The machine of claim 1 and further comprising a plurality of groundengaging wheels.
 5. The machine of claim 1 wherein the enclosurecomprises a forward end, a rearward end and two sides therebetween andwherein the at least two deflectors are positioned along one of thesides.
 6. The machine of claim 5 and further comprising a mechanism forover-the-ground travel such that the deflector deflects the shreddedforage material onto the ground along one side of the enclosure.